


Ask Me to Stay

by midnightprelude



Series: 14 Days of DA Lovers [6]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Modern Era, Pregnancy, Pregnant Lavellan (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:39:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29706255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightprelude/pseuds/midnightprelude
Summary: Cassandra may or may not be nesting as her new girlfriend gets rounder and rounder with each coming week.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Cassandra Pentaghast, Female Lavellan/Cassandra Pentaghast
Series: 14 Days of DA Lovers [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149344
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Ask Me to Stay

**Author's Note:**

> For Scharoux's 14 Days of DA Lovers prompt "Ask me to stay"!

##  Cassandra

It was the middle of winter, but she was sweating. Her fingers ached but she pressed anyway, wedging into the tight crevice-

“Oh, Creators,” she heard Lyanna sigh and she smiled. Worth it. 

Cassandra leaned up on her elbows from the floor, setting the screwdriver to the side. It had taken them the better part of a week to transform what had once been Dorian’s room in the flat into a nursery. Lyanna’s cousin had left wood shavings all over her living room, hauling lumber up into the flat and sculpting it into the parts for a rocking chair and the crib that could connect and separate for the twins. Cassandra had spent her off hours from the office painting the walls, then installing soft-edged dimmable sconces and baby monitors and cloth mobiles, before child-proofing everything she could get her hands on. 

“I think she likes it, eh,” Esha grinned. 

Cassandra watched Lyanna pressing her fingers to her lips. “You weren’t supposed to see it until we were finished,” she chided softly, climbing to her feet. The room felt like a small forest. Warm wood and green walls. Shelves that looked like branches and clouds. 

Cassandra set the screwdriver into her toolkit, wiping her hands off on her jeans, grateful for the summer lightness of the tank top. Outside, there would be snow in a few days, but in this room, it was warm from their labor. 

“You- It’s-“ Lyanna glanced between the two of them, wrinkling her nose and wringing her hands. She was seven months into her pregnancy and looked as though she’d stuffed a watermelon under her shirt, the bulge stark against her thin frame. “It’s wonderful. You- All of this? You did all of this yourselves?”

“See,” Esha crossed his arms, leaning over the hand-made crib. “I  _ told _ you we could have sprung for strippers.”

Cassandra snorted softly. “Yes,” she answered. “But if there’s anything you don’t like, we can change it. There’s time.”

“No,” Lyanna’s voice was shaking as she crossed to Cassandra, pressing her cheek to her shoulder blade, belly pressing up against her back. “No, Cass, it’s perfect. It’s so- Creators, are all of those toys  _ handmade _ ?”

“Your cousin,” Cassandra mumbled, “insisted that his kin shouldn’t be saddled with ‘shem corporatism’.” Only a few months before, Lyanna had been able to press flush against her. Now Cassandra could sometimes feel the twins kick her in the spine when they slept. Her tiny lover was a big spoon no matter the size of her belly. “It’s fortunate my uncle insisted I learn to sew.”

“It is fortunate,” Lyanna chuckled, nuzzling her nose against Cassandra’s back. 

“The blocks are my doing,” Olivier’s voice called from the doorway, laden with takeaway boxes and bags. “Well, with some help. The tour bus was covered in sawdust for weeks, nearly sent Ril into a conniption.”

“ _ Nearly _ ,” Esha laughed. “If that was nearly, I’m genuinely afraid of what a real conniption looks like. He made me clean his harp with a toothbrush.” He grinned, resting his chin on his arms. “I thought for sure you’d spill the beans, but she looks genuinely surprised. Well done.”

“We can always get less lopsided stuffed animals when they leave,” Cassandra murmured, wrapping her arms back around Lyanna. 

“Lopsided is perfect,” she chuckled, “I love them, each and every one.”

The words sent a curl of warmth through Cassandra’s core; she felt a smile curve her lips before she bit the inside of her cheek to control it. “Good.” She took a breath. “That’s good to hear.” She glanced across the room to find Lyanna’s cousin smirking. “Go away.”

“You’re welcome.” Esha hugged Lyanna on his way out the door. “Proud of you,  _ asa'var'lin _ .”

“If I find either of you listening at the door, you’ll be in trouble,” Lyanna lifted her brows, kissing Esha’s forehead. “Save some food for the pregnant woman. The pickled onions in particular.”

“Those you can have,” he laughed, slipping out the door. “Ollie, she says she wants us to eat all the pickled onions!”

Cassandra rolled her eyes, uttering a sigh. “He talks so much.”

“He  _ does _ ,” Lyanna laughed brightly. “How long have you two been at this without me realizing?”

“Since they came to Val Royeaux for their tour.” Cassandra turned to wrap her arms around Lyanna, kissing her cheek. “The planning, in any case. We worked on some of it separately and pulled it all together in the last week.” She leaned back, studying Lyanna’s upturned face. Her sharp chin and kissable nose and pleasure warmed cheeks and bright, brilliant eyes. “I wasn’t sure which room it would be, but when Dorian elected to take the other lease… He loaned me his key so I could sneak in and take measurements while you were at work. You really didn’t suspect anything?”

“Well, perhaps  _ something _ ,” Lyanna admitted with a grin. “You’re not a very convincing liar.”

Cassandra shook her head. “You’re right. I’ve never really seen the point of pretending to do or be something that I’m not. But I wanted to do this for you, and I had a feeling if we told you, you would be on your hands and knees putting furniture together and breathing paint fumes. It’s alright?”

“More than,” Lyanna lifted on her toes to brush their lips together, eyes as green and shimmering as the freshly painted walls. “You know me too well. I love everything you’ve done, and that you did it with Esha and Olivier, and most of all…” She grinned, squeezing Cassandra’s hands. “Most of all, I love you. That you wish to be a part of not only my life, but theirs. It means everything.”

“I do,” she lifted Lyanna’s hands to her lips, kissing her fingers. “I want to, very much.” Cassandra cleared her throat. “It’s- I want to be with you for all of it. I’m aware it’s only been a few months, but this - us - Sometimes I can barely remember what it was like not to share my life with you.”

“What are you saying?” Lyanna lifted her brows, tilting her head curiously. “Of course you can be there.”

“I like making your tea in the mornings. I enjoy driving you to work and talking with you at the end of each day.” Cassandra brushed her thumbs over Lyanna’s fingers. “I miss you when we sleep apart. And when the twins come- I want to be able to help you with them. Not drive halfway across the city at odd hours. I want- I want to  _ be _ with you. If that’s what you want.”

“You want to-“ Lyanna blinked, her brow furrowing. “ _ Here _ ? With… You’ll never get any sleep, once they come. At least I can take leave, for a time.”

“You forget I’ve raised multiple puppies. I’m more prepared for midnight feedings and sleepless nights than you are.” Cassandra watched her carefully. “Let me worry about what I want and what I can handle. What matters is whether or not you want me here. You don’t have to make a decision now. I only wanted you to know where I am, so you can consider it.”

Lyanna nodded, wringing her hands. “You wish to  _ stay _ here. You want to-“ She closed her eyes, massaging her brows. “I didn’t realize you wished to- I hadn’t considered you might-“ Lyanna met Cassandra’s gaze, steady and serious. “Yes. So long as you keep your flat, at least for a while. In case… In case you decide it’s too much and want some space. Yes. Yes, if you’re sure.”

“You remember that I come with three appendages?” Cassandra thumbed her cheek. “It’s alright if I bring them here?”

“Please do,” she chuckled, “now that Dorian has officially moved out, we shouldn’t need to worry about allergies. I like waking up to a cold nose or a furry bum in my face in the morning.”

“I know you do, but also I have the dogs and the cat.” Cassandra bit the inside of her lip. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call my bum  _ furry _ .” 

“No, but  _ Valentina’s _ is,” Lyanna rolled her eyes. “ _ Fenedhis _ , I was speaking about your pets.”

“Oh, was that what you were doing?” Cassandra murmured innocently, trying to ignore the heat working its way up her neck into her cheeks. “So I shouldn’t try waking you with my bum in your face? Fuzzy. I would accept fuzzy. Like a peach. Yours is.”

“Mine is-“ Lyanna sniffed, crossing her arms at her chest. “What exactly are you getting at?”

Cassandra smiled despite herself. Somehow in a matter of months, she’d gone from fearing those consternated expressions to wanting to kiss Lyanna every time her nose wrinkled. “I love you,” she chuckled, smoothing her hands down Lyanna’s arms. “And I want to live with you and blend our lives and argue with you every day and every night about ridiculous things like how much I love your body. I want your children to grow up with Valentina and Alexei and Czyzy nuzzling them and giving them unconditional love and hopefully distracting them from the rabbit I made that has one ear shorter than the other.”

Lyanna seemed to melt before her, her features softening before her. She pressed her forehead against Cassandra’s shoulder, sighing as she wrapped her arms as tightly around her as she could manage. “Then stay,” she murmured, tilting her chin up to meet Cassandra’s gaze. “Stay. If you’re certain, I want you to stay.”

“I’m certain,” Cassandra kissed her forehead gently. “And I’ll keep my flat in case you change your mind. Until you realize you won’t.”

“I can start making room for you in my closet. You’ll need somewhere for all of those suits of yours.” Lyanna closed her eyes and stood still for a moment, arms wrapped around Cassandra’s shoulders. “I think I can have things sorted here by next weekend.”

“I can have things sorted,” Cassandra held her close. “You can tell me what to do and put your feet up while you eat pickled onions.”

“You are always sorting other people’s problems,” Lyanna leaned up to kiss her, lingering over her lips as her hands trailed down her back. “Just let me have this one little thing, make myself useful. And then I’ll have pickled onions and ice cream.”

That had been one of the most horrifying things Cassandra had ever witnessed. “You’re very useful.” She kissed her cheek. “And very beautiful.” She kissed her other cheek. “And very edible, somehow, despite all the onions.”

“They’re delicious,” Lyanna tutted, nudging her with her nose “I only just realized. The doctor says I need more salt. I won’t be distracted from my task by sweet nothings, though. I need to sift through my own belongings. Perhaps there are things I might not want you to find!”

“Like what?” Cassandra kissed her nose. “Your collection of bawdy magazines? I found those ages ago.”

“ _ What _ ?” Lyanna reddened, wrinkling her nose. “I don’t even  _ have- _ Oh. Actually, I might. You were  _ snooping _ , though.”

“I wasn’t snooping,” Cassandra laughed. “I was trying to find where you’d put your gray sweatshirt. It’s the only one that fits me.” She skimmed her hands down Lyanna’s sides. “One more reason it would be nice to have some of my things here.”

“Yes. Infinite sweaters and tee shirts for me to steal,” Lyanna chuckled, “though even those are getting a bit tight around the middle. Why don’t we eat and then we can clear out my room together?” She tilted her head. “Suitable compromise?”

“Yes.” Cassandra skimmed her fingers across a fallen bright red curl, tucking it back behind Lyanna’s ear. “You’re beautiful. Truly, wonderfully beautiful. I like the way you look, tight shirts and all.” She smiled, heat idling up her neck to her cheeks. “I like the way you look when sweaters stretch over you. I like the way you look when you’re slurping onions like a madwoman. I like you.”

“You’re terribly, horribly biased,” Lyanna rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around Cassandra’s shoulders and stepping backwards from the room, fumbling with the doorknob behind her. “And I’m very glad you are.”

Cassandra kissed her temple as they headed down the hall. “As am I.” 


End file.
